1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an interlocking computer card apparatus having PCMCIA type III architecture and comprising two PCMCIA type II computer card devices. More particularly, it pertains to a computer card device having a full wall modular extendable media connector.
2. The Relevant Technology
It is well recognized that the computer industry is experiencing tremendous growth. This growth is largely driven by a demand for computer devices that can provide immediate access to information. One prevalent use of computers today is to access the Internet, a world wide network of electronically stored data. Computers are also used to access local area networks (xe2x80x9cLANsxe2x80x9d) and wide area networks (xe2x80x9cWANsxe2x80x9d) which also store electronically retrievable data.
Although there are numerous public and private networks and databases which store data or programs, absent the ability to connect directly with a network, a computer user is relegated to relying upon the exchange of discs or tapes in order to receive the data that is accessible through the network.
The ability to freely access data on a network and to transfer information between computers can dramatically increase productivity and reduce overall production time. The transfer of data over a network can be accomplished with wireless technology or by telephone lines and cables. The interface between a computer and a cable or telephone line is typically accomplished through a media connector.
One conventional type of media connector is the RJ-series connector. RJ-series connectors are used by almost all telephone companies throughout the world for many applications, the most important of which is interconnection of telephones with telephone lines. For this reason, stringent standardization of connectors has been established to enable compatibility and interactivity. Due to the simplicity of the connection and the established standards, RJ-series connectors are used extensively in the computer industries and in other industries where communication over telephone lines or other types of cables is required.
RJ-series connectors include a plug or contact block and a receptacle or socket. The plug comprises a small block shaped body coupled with a cable, such as a telephone line. Housed within the body are several contact pins. Each of the contact pins is attached to a discrete wire within the cable. Mounted on the outside of the body is a flexible retention clip that is used for removably securing the plug within the socket of an electrical apparatus.
The socket is typically formed on the side of the electrical apparatus and is configured to receive the plug. Disposed within the socket are flexible contact wires. The contact wires within the socket are biased against corresponding contacts on the plug to complete the electrical connection between the plug and the electrical apparatus.
The interior surface of the socket comprises a latching mechanism that receives the retention clip of the plug so as to mechanically secure the plug within the socket by holding retention notches of the retention clip. To remove the plug, the retention clip is manually flexed towards the body of the plug to release the hold of the latching mechanism on the retention notches, thereby enabling manual removal of the plug from the socket.
As the computer industry continues to develop, new peripheral devices are being created to satisfy the demand for more immediate access to information. These peripheral devices include, but are not limited to, wireless cellular modems, facsimile modems, modular random access memory, and network interface connectors.
However, size constraints limit the number of peripheral devices a single computer can incorporate. This is particularly true for portable computers that are being redesigned to be smaller and more portable all the time. Most portable computers are designed to incorporate only some of the available devices. Incorporating every available device into a single portable computer would substantially increase the price of the computer while decreasing its portability. A computer user also may not require or desire all of the available peripheral devices. Accordingly, the computer industry has developed standards that enable peripheral computer devices to be selectively integrated and interchanged.
The most common standards have been established by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA). PCMCIA standards specify spatial size restrictions and coupling interface restrictions for computer cards that embody peripheral computer devices. According to PCMCIA standards, there are three types of card architectures that vary in thickness. A type I PCMCIA card has a thickness of approximately 3.3 mm. A type II PCMCIA card has a thickness of approximately 5.0 mm. A type III PCMCIA card has a thickness of approximately 10.5 mm. All three of these card types also have a 68-pin female connector, a width of 55 mm, a length of 85 mm, and edges that are configured for slidably engaging channels of a corresponding expansion slot in an electronic apparatus.
PCMCIA standards enable a computer user to selectively use a first peripheral device and later remove it when it is no longer needed. This is particularly useful because it allows a computer user to interchange a peripheral device based on particular needs. By way of example and not limitation, a computer user may first access data stored on an auxiliary memory card and later exchange the auxiliary memory card for a network interface card to access a LAN.
In keeping with PCMCIA standards, various manufacturers build computer card devices that meet the required specifications. Computer card devices that perform I/O operations are typically configured to comply with the PCMCIA type II architecture. Because these computer card devices are thinner than RJ-series media plugs, either adapters or extendable media connectors are required to connect an RJ-series media plug to a PCMCIA type II computer card device.
One skilled in the art should recognize a dongle as a typical adapter. Dongles, however, are problematic because they have to be stored and can easily be misplaced. Extendable media connectors, as embodied in U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,404, issued to Aldous et al., are one solution to this problem. Extendable media connectors have a profile that is thinner than the media plug and can be slidably retracted into the housing of the computer card device. Despite the benefits of traditional extendable media connectors, some computer users prefer full wall media connectors because they feel full wall media connectors are more robust than the thinner profile extendable media connectors. extendable media connector.
Traditionally, full wall media connectors have only a single socket or receptacle that is configured for coupling with only a single type of media plug from only a single direction. However, because of personal preferences and physical constraints, it would also be desirable to provide a full wall extendable media connector that can couple with different types of media plugs from multiple directions.
One problem with equipping a PCMCIA type II card with a full wall media plug connector is that it prevents stacking of computer cards. Stacking two PCMCIA type II computer cards within a single type III expansion slot of an electrical apparatus is a common practice in the industry to maximize the capacity of the electrical apparatus to incorporate various peripheral devices. By way of example, and not limitation, an exemplary stacking configuration might include a modem card stacked above a network interface card.
Because a full wall media plug connector has the approximate thickness of a PCMCIA type III expansion slot, it is not possible to stack two computer card devices on top of one another within a single type III expansion slot if both of the computer card devices are configured with full wall extendable media connectors.
A similar problem is encountered by the use of thin profile extendable media connectors. Although thin profile extendable media connectors do not prevent computer cards from being stacked, they may prevent simultaneous use of the peripheral devices, which defeats the purpose of stacking the computer cards. For example, the coupling of a first media plug with a thin profile media connector of a first computer card may obstruct the coupling of a second media plug with the thin profile media connector of a second computer card. This occurs when the first media plug extends beyond the thin profile media connector into the space that is required for coupling of the second media plug. Even if a thin media plug adapter, such as a dongle is used, the extension of the media plug through the thin profile media connector may still extend too far down into the space required by the dongle for connection to the second computer card device.
Accordingly, it would, therefore, be desirable to provide a computer card apparatus that allows two computer card devices having full wall extendable media connectors to be stacked and simultaneously connected to corresponding media plugs. It would also be desirable to provide this result while enabling the full wall extendable media connectors to be coupled to corresponding media plugs of different types from multiple directions.
A full wall extendable media connector is provided for coupling with RJ-series media plugs. The full wall extendable media connector is retractably attached to a computer card device. However, it should be appreciated that the full wall extendable media connector of the present invention can also be connected directly to an electrical apparatus.
The RJ-series media plug comprises a small block shaped body coupled with a cable, such as a telephone line. Housed within the plug body are distinct contact pins. Each of the contact pins are attached to discrete wires within the cable.
The computer card device comprises a full wall extendable media connector that is slidably retractable into a computer card housing and has a first end that is attached to the computer card device and a second end that has a face and four sides. Any combination of the sides and the face can be configured to couple with an RJ-series media plug. A plurality of contact wires are housed within the full wall extendable media connector.
During use, a media plug is coupled with a full wall extendable media connector and the contact wires of the full wall extendable media connector are biased against the contact pins of the media plug, thereby effecting electrical communication between the media plug and the computer card. This direct connection obviates the need for conventional adapters to facilitate connection of the media plug.
The full wall extendable media connector of the present invention can also be designed in a variety of alternative embodiments. For example, in one alternative embodiment a turret rotatably connects the second end of the full wall extendable media connector to the first end of the full wall extendable media connector. This embodiment enables a media plug to be connected to the full wall extendable media connector from multiple directions.
In another embodiment, the second end of the full wall extendable media connector is connected to an antenna for receiving wireless communications. In yet another embodiment the full wall extendable media connector is translucent and is illuminated by light pipes.
The computer card housing comprises a bottom planar surface, a top planar surface, a connector housing that extends out of a first comer area of the top planar surface, and a recess that extends between a second comer area of the top planar surface and the bottom planar surface and has substantially the same shape as the connector housing. The computer card housing is configured for interlocking with a substantially identical housing of a second computer card device.
When two computer card devices are interlocked, the top planar surface of the first computer card housing engages the top planar surface of the second computer card housing and the connector housings of both computer card devices slidably engage the recesses formed in the alternate computer card housings. To further interlock the computer card devices and to provide alignment, the top planar surface of one computer card device has protrusions and dimples that mate with corresponding dimples and protrusions of the top planar surface of the second computer card device.
One of the unique benefits of the present invention is that it provides a PCMCIA type II computer card with a full wall extendable connector that can couple with a media plug from multiple directions. Another benefit of the present invention is that is allows two computer card devices to be stacked and simultaneously connected to different types of media plugs within a single type III expansion slot.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.